Monthly Archives: March 2009

Slovenia Has Already Responded To Rehn`s Proposal

Zbogar has announced that Slovenia would respond to Rehn`s proposal in time, but there are still no details. Slovenia has responded to the latest proposal of European Union expansion commissioner Olli Rehn on Monday, Slovene STA agency reports Tuesday, stating that the Slovene Ministry of Foreign Affairs has confirmed the …

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Russia Oligarch Wants Putin As Witness In Trail

Khodorkovsky appeared in court on Tuesday for the first day of a new trial that could keep him in prison for a further 22 years. Lawyers for jailed Russian oil oligarch Mikhail Khodorkovsky said on Tuesday they would call Prime Minister Vladimir Putin as a witness to fight embezzlement charges …

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EU To Consider Visa Free Travel For Balkans In `09

Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn also said Croatia could still wrap up entry talks with the EU this year. The European Union may decide this year on offering visa-free travel to citizens of some Western Balkan countries and on opening membership talks with Macedonia, the EU’s enlargement chief said on Tuesday. …

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Medvedev Charts Path to Better Russian-U.S. Ties

Medvedev said neither Russia nor the United States can tolerate `drift and indifference` in their relationship. Russia and the United States should rebuild their relations and work together on key global issues, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said in an article on Tuesday in the Washington Post. Medvedev said neither Russia …

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Djukanovic’s victory in Montenegro’s general elections confirmed

PODGORICA, Montenegro – Prime Minister Milo Djukanovic’s coalition won an absolute majority in Sunday’s snap parliamentary elections, the Central Electoral Commission announced on Monday (March 30th). For a European Montenegro won 51.09% of the vote, translating to 48 of the 81 seats in parliament. The opposition Socialist People’s Party was …

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NATO members send ratified documents for Croatia, Albania’s entry

WASHINGTON, United States – As required, all NATO member states sent the US State Department their ratified documents regarding Croatia and Albania’s entry into the Alliance, NATO Secretary-General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer confirmed on Monday (March 30th). Portugal and Slovenia were the last two countries to comply. De Hoop Scheffer …

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Greece rejects Macedonian proposals for improving relations

ATHENS, Greece – Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyannis has rejected an initiative by Macedonian counterpart Antonio Milososki aimed at improving strained relations between the two neighbours, media reported on Monday (March 30th). In a letter to Bakoyannis on March 13th, Milososki suggested that the two countries should overcome their differences by …

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Jeremic says Serbia does not expect SAA to be implemented soon

VIENNA, Austria – Serbian Foreign Minister Vuk Jeremic said on Monday (March 30th) he does not expect his country’s Stabilisation and Association Agreement (SAA) with the EU to be implemented any time soon. It hinges on arresting war crimes fugitive Ratko Mladic. At a meeting with Austrian counterpart Michael Spindelegger …

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EULEX takes over investigation of organ trafficking case

PRISTINA, Kosovo – EULEX has taken over an organ trafficking case that allegedly victimised Serbs in 1999, local media reported on Tuesday (March 31st). EULEX officials said they have received a file from Serb judicial authorities, in which prosecutors argue that the Kosovo Liberation Army removed the

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BiH to start issuing biometric passports at year’s end

SARAJEVO, Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) – The issuing of biometric passports will begin on December 31st, BiH’s Agency for Identification Documents, Registers and Data Exchange announced on Monday (March 30th). A German company won the bid for providing the passports and signed a contract with the government last month. The …

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